WCPL Hours, Closing Noted
Ann M. Zydek WCPL Library Director
As summer vacations wind down and families prepare for students returning to school, Warsaw Community Public Library is also transitioning from a very busy, successful summer reading program to its back-to-school fall programs, services and activities.
Children, teens, and adults read at a record breaking pace during WCPL’s Summer Reading Program. The final totals are being tabulated. I already know that there were 950 children and 258 teens who participated and the teens alone read 624,783 pages. Amazing! As materials read come back the library’s empty spaces on its shelves are filling up in preparation for the fall season.
Currently I am almost through reading a superb New York Times bestseller, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking,” by Susan Cain and many enjoyable fiction stories.
Due to a budget shortfall in the library’s operating fund, the library will be closed the week of Aug. 18- 24 while library employees take an unpaid furlough. During that time, needed computer upgrades will be done. I apologize upfront, but electronic access to the library’s website will be spotty. To help, all library materials normally due that furlough week will NOT be due until the following week. I encourage everyone NOT to return material that week.
Many of us are still adjusting to the reduction of library hours that went into effect July 1. The library is only open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday the library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturday, the library is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The new reality is that there are limited resources for marketing upcoming events and providing as many staff experts and targeted library programs by various age groups. The service desks while still covered will have many hours on reduced staff especially during non-peak visitor hours, evening and weekend times.
More than ever, the library is looking for volunteers to sign up and help library staff as we move into the fall. With community help the library will continue to offer as many programs this fall and winter as possible. We are also looking for guest presenters and community topic experts for library programs.
Contact the library at warsawlibrary.org or 574-267-6011 as needed and check out our upcoming fall activities. One upcoming program is Lap Top Basics offered at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 15.